Illuminating device for pocketbooks



April 13'; 1943.

O. HALLBAUER ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR POCKETBOOKS Filed Dec. 13, 1941 IIIIIIIIIIIII f y f w m m 0 WM w T J m ww T r 0 Patented Apr. 13, 1943 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR POCKETBOOKS Otto Hallbauer, East Englewood, N. J.

Application December 13, 1941, Serial No. 422,735

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in pocketbooks and like receptacles'and has particular reference to an illuminating device therefor.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved illuminating device of simple and practical construction capable of being mounted interiorly of a pocketbook adjacent an opening therein so that light rays from a lamp supported in said device will pass through said opening and also adequately illuminate the interior of the pocketbook.

Another object is to construct an illuminating device in the form of a mounting consisting of lamp and battery supporting portions with the battery in the latter portion movable therein, by means of a control switch, to engage with and to disengage from an electrical contact for the lamp in the first named portion to illuminate and extinguish said lamp.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a pocketbook showing the latter in closed position and with the illuminating device mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pocketbook "opened with the illuminating device in position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of the illuminating device.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections on the lines 5-5, and 66, respectively, of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which is formed the mounting for the illuminating device.

The pocketbook Hl'illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be of any desired type and in one wall of the body of said pocketbook, preferably centrally with respect to the ends and adjacent the large opening thereof, said wall is provided therein with a small opening it that is alined with an opening l2 in the face plate l3 secured to the outer surface of said wall.

The mounting of the device, which is carried upon the interior surface of said pocketbook wall, is preferably formed from a single blank of suitable material, and constructed as shown in Fig. 7. Adjacent one end of this blank the same is cut transversely for a major portion of its width to form a slit M which defines a portion I5 that is rolled, in the finished mounting, to provide a cylindrical, open-ended compartment adapted to receive a small electrical battery l6 such as employed in devices of this character. One end of the compartment i5 is closed by a head ll between which and the adjacent terminal end of said battery there is interposed a coil spring l8 which performs the dual function of establishing electrical connection between the battery [6 and the compartment wall and of also urging said battery in the direction of the opposite end of the compartment for a purpose which will presently appear.

Adjacent one end of the mounting the same is provided with an attaching portion l9 provided with a central opening 20 adapted to register when the openings II and I2 and said attaching portion is secured flush against the interior surface of the pocketbook wall and to the face plate l3 by rivets 2| extending-through the latter plate and the openings 22 in said portion I9.

Another portion 23 of the mounting blank is bent on the dotted lines 24, 25 and 26 to provide a three-walled lamp housing adapted to contain therein a small incandescent lamp 2! a terminal 28 of which is in electrical contact with the intermediate wall of said housing, and the latter is so arranged that when the lamp 2] is in position therein and is illuminated, the bulb end of said lamp will be disposed contiguous to the opening I i so that light rays from the lamp will pass through said opening to the exterior of the pocketbook; also, said rays will illuminate the interior of the pocketbook with some of the rays being reflected by the reflecting surface 29 of the attaching portion [9. To support the lamp 21 in position within the housing, there is provided a substantially U-shaped contact member 30 which is attached to the side wall 3| of the housing by a rivet 32 and which partially embraces the plug portion of the lamp 2! for electrical contact therewith. The contact member 30 is separated from the housing 23 by the strip of insulation 33. Said contact member is so disposed relative 'to the adjacent end of the battery compartment l5 that the terminal 34 of the battery I6 will engage said contact member, under the influence of the spring I8, to establish an electrical circuit for illuminating the lamp 2].

Means are provided for controlling the engagement and separation of the contact member 30 and terminal 34 whereby the lamp 21 may be illuminated and extinguished at will. Said means may be a switch 35 in the form of a lever pivotally supported in the attaching portion IQ of the mounting and having one end'projecting through a slot 36 in said portion to the exterior of the pocketbook from whence the switch may be manipulated. Two lugs 31 struck from the portion l9 form a bearing for the pivot pin 38 of the switch 35 and the end of the latter within the receptacle is bent to provide a cam portion 39 adapted for engagement with and disengagement from the adjacent end of the battery l6. Thus, when the switch 35 is rocked in one direction about the pivot 38 so as to contact the cam 39 with the end of the battery, the latter will be forced inwardly into the compartment 15 against the tension of the spring l8 and thus disengage the terminal 34 from the contact member 30 to extinguish the lamp 21, and when said switch is moved in the opposite direction to disengage the cam 39 from the battery the spring l8 becomes effective to engage the terminal 34 with said contact member and close the circuit for said lamp.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a flash light battery and an incandescent lamp each having terminals; of a supporting device therefor formed from a sheet of material cut transversely adjacent one end for a part of its width to divide the sheet into battery and lamp receiving portions, said battery receiving portion being rolled to form a cylindrical open ended compartment for containing said battery with the terminals of the latter adjacent opposite ends of the compartment, and said lamp receiving portion being bent to provide a. housing having a plurality of angularly disposed walls at one end or said compartment with one of said walls in opposed relation to said compartment end, a contact member secured to and insulated from the latter wall and embracing the base of said lamp for electrical contact therewith when the terminal of said lamp is electrically engaged with another of the walls of said housing, said contact member also engaging the battery terminal at the last named end of said compartment, and means at the other end of said compartment for electrically connecting the other terminal of said battery with the wall of said compartment to complete the energizing circuit for said lamp.

OTTO HALLBAUER. 

